Kulon Progo uses waste to become a business opportunity

The Environmental Agency of Kulon Progo Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, encouraged the village government in this region to have a solid waste business unit managed by the Village Business Unit Agency to support the clean Kulon Progo movement.

Head of Kulon Progo Environmental Agency (DLH) Arif Prastowo said that DLH encouraged the village government to manage waste with waste banks and waste management through Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes).

“This is very important. At present we are actively promoting and disseminating information to villages. This is very interesting because every day household waste is very much, and can be a business opportunity for the village government,” said Arif in Wates, capital of Kulon Regency Progo, on Friday (12/28/2018).

Based on DLH’s study, individual waste in Kulon Progo has reached 0.5 kilograms per day. This can be imagined with the population of Kulon Progo reaching 441,000, the potential for waste to reach 200 tons per day.

On one side of the waste is a serious problem, but on the other hand it becomes a business opportunity because most of the domestic waste can be recycled.

“If it cannot be recycled, organic waste can become compost. It is very interesting if BUMDes can manage waste because it can be a source of village income,” he said.

Arif said that from 87 villages and one kelurahan in Kulon Progo there were only seven villages that had initiative to capture this business opportunity. The seven villages, namely Banguncipto (Sentolo), Salamrejo (Sentolo), Gulurejo (Lendah), Sentolo Village (Sentolo), Ngestiharjo (Wates), Kranggan (Galur) and Temon Wetan (Temon).

“This waste business is very strategic because there is one of the government banks that is committed to assisting in the processing of this waste. It is only a matter of time for us to continue making a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with them,” he said.

He also hoped that the villages in Temon Subdistrict must be prepared to capture opportunities for waste management. Construction of the NYIA Airport, they throw garbage every day. For example, cement cartons, how many thousands of pieces of cement cardboard are disposed of every day.

“This is very potential for recycling and economic value. So if there is activity around the airport, it will definitely produce waste. The garbage that we consider this problem, we can capture it as an opportunity,” Arif said.

Chairman of the Kulon Progo DPRD Akhid Nuryati strongly supports the innovation of DLH in capturing business opportunities for processing and managing waste.

“Village governments, especially those in the southern region must be able to capture opportunities and innovate in the development of BUMDes businesses, one of which is waste management,” said Akhid Nuryati.